Radar Adjustments: Hd And Superhd Scanners - Raymarine a65 Installation And Operation Instructions Manual

13.9 Radar adjustments: HD and SuperHD scanners

You can use the gain presets and other functions to improve the quality of the radar picture.
The following settings are available from the Radar menu and apply
to HD radomes, HD and SuperHD open array scanners:
Menu Item Description
Auto Gain Mode The radar gain presets enable you to quickly
select pre-configured settings to achieve the best
picture in different situations. Raymarine strongly
recommends the use of these presets to achieve
optimum results.
Rain The radar scanner detects echoes from rain
or snow. These echoes appear on screen as
countless small echoes continuously changing
size, intensity and position. Turning the rain
clutter function On suppresses the bulk effect of
rain returns from around your vessel, making it
easier to recognize other objects. You can adjust
the intensity of this setting between 0 and 100%.
Adjust Gain Each of the gain presets can be manually
adjusted using gain, color gain and sea clutter
functions.
Selecting radar gain presets
These presets require a HD or SuperHD radar scanner. Bird mode
requires a SuperHD open array scanner with software version 3.23
or above or an HD radome.
From the radar application:
1. Select Menu.
2. Select Auto Gain Mode.
3. Select Buoy, Harbor, Costal, Offshore, or Bird as appropriate.
The option is ticked and the display changes to reflect the new
mode.
Adjusting radar preset gain
Raymarine strongly recommends the use of the preset gain
modes to achieve optimum results. However if required manual
adjustments can be made.
From the radar application, with the required Auto Gain Mode
selected:
1. Select Menu.
2. Select Adjust Gain <Mode>, where <Mode> shall be the Auto
Gain mode already selected.
Using radar
Options
• Buoy — a special mode that enhances the detection of small objects like mooring
buoys. It is useful at ranges up to 0.75 nm.
• Harbor — this is the default mode. This setting takes account of land clutter so
that smaller targets, like navigation buoys, are not lost.
• Coastal — accounts for the slightly higher levels of sea clutter you might
encounter out of harbor and adjusts the radar display accordingly.
• Offshore — automatically adjusts for high levels of sea clutter.
• Bird Mode — a special mode that helps you to identify flocks of birds, useful
when identifying suitable fishing locations, for example.
Note: Bird Mode requires a SuperHD open array with software version
3.23 or above or an HD radome.
• On — enables the Rain function and allows you to adjust the setting between
0 and 100%.
• Off — disables the Rain function. This is the default.
• Gain — enables you to use a preset in automatic mode, or to adjust its gain
manually between 0 and 100%.
• Color Gain— adjusts the intensity (color) of displayed targets, but does not affect
the number of targets displayed. Increasing the color gain causes more targets
to be displayed in the same color, which may help you to determine whether an
object is an actual target, or just background noise. Reducing the color gain may
provide better target detail and detection.
• Sea — radar echoes from waves around your vessel can clutter the center of
the radar picture, making it difficult to detect real targets. Adjusting the sea
gain reduces this clutter for up to 5 nautical miles (depending on wave and sea
conditions) from your vessel.
• SuperHD Controls — for SuperHD scanners only:
– Antenna Boost: scales the effective antenna size. At zero, the effective
antenna size matches its actual size. At 95%, the effective antenna size is
doubled. Increasing the effective antenna size separates targets that appear
merged at lower settings.
– Power Boost: adjusts effective transmit power. At zero, the radar operates at
its standard power (4 kW or 12 kW). At 90, the effective power is increased
by a factor of at least two. Increasing the power makes targets more distinct
from noise. For maximum benefit, reduce power boost to prevent saturation
of strong targets.
3. Select Gain .
4. The Gain slider bar control is displayed.
5. Adjust the Gain slider bar control to the appropriate setting
(between 0 and 100%), or
6. Select the Auto box so that a tick is placed in the box for
automatic gain control.
Adjusting radar color gain
From the radar application, with the required Auto Gain Mode
selected:
1. Select Menu.
2. Select Adjust Gain <Mode>, where <Mode> shall be the Auto
Gain mode already selected.
3. Select Col: .
4. The Color Gain slider bar control is displayed.
5. Adjust the Color Gain slider bar control to the appropriate setting
(between 0 and 100%), or
6. Select the Auto box so that a tick is placed in the box for
automatic gain control.
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